Mark Antony Character Analysis in Julius Caesar

Antony is Caesar's close friend. He desires to make Caesar king, and he brings about the undoing of the conspirators after Caesar's murder. Described as a passionate man who loves art and music, and teased by Caesar for staying out late at parties, Antony is the opposite of the coldly logical Brutus. While not perceptive enough to suspect the plot against Caesar, his masterful speech to the plebeians at Caesar’s funeral stirs up the masses to mutiny. He then takes up an army against Brutus and the other conspirators to avenge Caesar’s death. Antony can be devious when necessary, planning to cheat the people by altering Caesar's will, and to eliminate his ally Lepidus. It is the combination of these qualities that make him a better all-around politician—and replacement for Caesar—than either Brutus or Cassius. At the end of the play, his army triumphs over Brutus’s, yet he praises Brutus as having been the noblest of Romans.

Mark Antony Quotes in Julius Caesar

The Julius Caesar quotes below are all either spoken by Mark Antony or refer to Mark Antony. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Cry Havoc! and let slip the dogs of war.

Related Characters: (speaker)

Related Symbols: ,

Page Number and Citation: 3.1.299

Explanation and Analysis:

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;
I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.
The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones;
So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus
Hath told you Caesar was ambitious:
If it were so, it was a grievous fault;
And grievously hath Caesar answer'd it.
Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest, —
For Brutus is an honorable man;
So are they all, all honorable men, —
Come I to speak in Caesar's funeral.
He was my friend, faithful and just to me:
But Brutus says he was ambitious;
And Brutus is an honorable man.

Related Characters: (speaker), ,

Related Symbols: ,

Page Number and Citation: 3.2.82-96

Explanation and Analysis:

This was the noblest Roman of all
All the conspirators, save only he,
Did that they did in envy of great Caesar;
He only, in a general honest thought,
And common good to all, made one of them.
His life was gentle; and the elements
So mix'd in him that Nature might stand up
And say to all the world, "This was a man."

Related Characters: (speaker), ,

Related Symbols: ,

Page Number and Citation: 5.5.74-81

Explanation and Analysis:

Mark Antony Character Timeline in Julius Caesar

The timeline below shows where the character Mark Antony appears in Julius Caesar. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Caesar, Antony, Brutus, Cassius, and others enter. Caesar tells his wife, Calpurnia, to stand in Antony’s path... (full context)

...out to Cassius that Caesar, Calpurnia, and Cicero look angry and distraught. Meanwhile, Caesar tells Antony that he wishes he were surrounded by “fat,” satisfied men, unlike Cassius, who has a... (full context)

...Casca why Caesar looked so sad. Casca explains that Caesar was offered a crown by Antony three times; each time, Caesar refused it, but he appeared less reluctant to accept it... (full context)

Cassius suggests that Mark Antony be killed as well, since he’s so close to Caesar. Again, Brutus objects, arguing that... (full context)

The rest of the conspirators enter, followed by Antony. Caesar greets them all and teases Antony about his late-night partying. Then he invites them... (full context)

With a flourish of trumpets, Caesar, Antony, the conspirators, the soothsayer, senators, and petitioners enter. Caesar observes that “the ides of March... (full context)

...the conspirators have been found out. Brutus urges Cassius to stay calm. Trebonius pulls Mark Antony out of the way, and Decius and Metellus Cimber press close to Caesar. Cinna tells... (full context)

Antony’s servant enters with a passionately-worded appeal, saying that Antony will support Brutus if he is... (full context)

Antony enters and is moved by the sight of Caesar’s body. He tells the conspirators that... (full context)

Antony shakes hands with the conspirators, while apologizing to Caesar’s spirit for making peace with his... (full context)

...him that he doesn’t know what he’s doing—the people will be moved against them by Antony’s funeral speech. Brutus replies that, by speaking first, he’ll explain the reason for Caesar’s death... (full context)

After the others leave, Antony speaks over Caesar’s corpse, prophesying that brutal civil war will break out across Italy, urged... (full context)

...the day come when that’s necessary. The people shout their approval of Brutus. As Mark Antony enters with Caesar’s body, Brutus departs, charging the crowds to hear what they’ve given Antony... (full context)

As Antony ascends the pulpit, the plebeians talk among themselves, saying that Antony had better not speak... (full context)

When Antony resumes his speech, he says that he would sooner wrong the dead than wrong the... (full context)

Antony tells the people to get ready to cry. He points out Caesar’s mantle and recalls... (full context)

Antony reminds the people that they haven’t heard the will yet. He reads it: Caesar has... (full context)

Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus enter. They are discussing which members of the conspiracy ought to be... (full context)

...stems from grief—Portia is dead. She killed herself by swallowing coals when she feared that Antony and Octavius would defeat Brutus. Cassius is horrified; Brutus doesn’t want to discuss it further.... (full context)

...and Messala enter, and the men compare notes regarding the advance of Octavius and Mark Antony. Messala reports that Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus are reported to have executed a large number... (full context)

Octavius, Antony, and their army are waiting on the battlefield. Antony thinks that Brutus and Cassius are... (full context)

Brutus’s and Cassius’s army meets Antony’s and Octavius’s army on the battlefield, and they exchange taunts. Brutus and Cassius mock Antony... (full context)

...killed him for his cowardice. Titinius says that Brutus gave his orders too soon, giving Antony’s men an opportunity to surround them. Pindarus enters, urging Cassius to quickly retreat—Antony’s forces are... (full context)

...Titinius that Octavius has been overthrown by Brutus, just as Cassius has been overthrown by Antony. Then they discover Cassius’s body on the ground. Titinius grieves his friend’s death: “the sun... (full context)

...fights boldly and is killed, and Lucilius, pretending to be Brutus, is taken captive. Then Antony enters and, recognizing Lucilius, spares his life and orders that he be treated kindly, in... (full context)

Octavius enters with Antony, Messala, Lucilius (both captives), and other soldiers. They see Strato with Brutus’s body, and Strato... (full context)

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Mark Antony Character Analysis

Mark Antony Quotes in Julius Caesar

Mark Antony Character Timeline in Julius Caesar

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for every book you read.